DON COSSACKS. 
363 
are seven churches; four built of stone, and C 5 ? 1 I ^ I P - 
three of wood. One of the latter description ' — 
• . . Public 
is tor Tahtar worship, the Tahtars having a Buildings. 
stanitza in Tcherkask peculiar to their own 
people. Their religion is Mahomcdan; and their 
church perfectly unadorned, being built with 
the utmost simplicity, and containing only a 
little recess, with a pulpit for the priest, and 
a gallery for boys and young men. The elders 
only enter the lower part of the building : this 
is covered with carpets ; and, as in Turkey, no 
one is permitted to enter wearing boots or 
shoes. Nevertheless, upon this sacred floor 
they transact their commerce; for we found 
a Tahtar squatted, casting up his accounts, 
and writing, with all his commercial papers 
around him. 
The first church erected in Tcherkask was 
founded by Peter the Great as an inscription 
placed in the wall implies ; but it has suffered 
frequently from fire, as indeed have all the 
other churches. It is now of stone ; and con- 
tains a handsome screen, painted a bright 
green colour, and richly gilded, as at Jixay. 
They burn, moreover, green wax candles. In 
this church are kept what they call their 
regalia ; applying this term to republican, rather Regalia, 
than to regal, ensigns of distinction. These 
